Material handling apparatus



Filed Dec. 23, 1963 :lllllllll .lilllulululi INVENTOR. LESTER V. SCHEDEEN FIG. 2

United States Patent MATERIAL HANEZLENG APPARATUS Lester V. ichedeen, Gresham, Greg. (1315 NE. 131st, Fortlaud, Greg.) Filed Dec. 23, 1963, Ser. No. 332,824 Claims. (Cl. 214-1 3(5) This invention relates to material handlin apparatus.

A primary objective of the present invention is to provide material handling apparatus empl ying an improved structural arrangement wherein a receptacle has novel movement for the positioning thereof between various positions of loading, hauling, and unloading.

A further object is to provide material handling apparatus of improved structure facilitating its attachment to conventional tractor mechanism and adapted to be operated by conventional power take-0d mechanism from the tractor.

A more particular object is to provide material handling apparatus which employs a receptacle and a novel arrangement of supporting frame and lever means as well as power drive means for moving said receptacle between positions of loading, hauling, and unloading.

Briefly stated, the invention resides in a receptacle and neans for supporting and moving the receptacle between various positions. The device is adaptedfor attachment to a three-way hitch of a conventional tractor and en ploys mechanism operable to position the receptacle in its said various positions. The invention will be better understood and additional objects thereof will become more apparent from the accompanying specification and claims considered together with the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals of reference indicate like parts and wherein:

FiGURE 1 is a longitudinal, central, sectional view of the present apparatus taken on the line 1-1 of FIGURE 3, and showing in full and dotted lines operative positions of the receptacle;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 1 and showing other operative positions of the receptacle;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary, perspective view of a portion of the receptacle.

Referring in particular to the drawings, the present apparatus is particularly useful in combination with a three-way hitch of a conventional tractor. For purposes of illustration, a fragmentary portion of a conventional tractor is shown, comprising a body ill supported by rear wheels 12. In such conventional tractors a three-way bitch is employed comprising an anchor lug 4 secured to the upper surface of the body 1% adjacent the rear thereof and a pair of laterally projecting power take-off shafts 16. The shafts 16 are best viewed in FKGURE 3, and are controlled in their rotative operation by suitable control means, not shown, located in the operators compartment.

The material handling apparatus of the present invention comprises a frame 24 having a forward transverse 1" me member 2'3. with integral side frame members 24. ntegrated with the side frame members 24 in transverse ela 'on is a rearwardly spaced frame member 26 the su face of which is substantially in a similar longitudinal plane with the lower surface of frame member FIGURE 2. Frame members 22 and 21: are interconnected by the side frame members 24 as well as by intermediate frame members 23. Side frame members 24 extend rearwardly beyond the transverse frame member 26 and are interconnected at their outer ends by a transverse frame member 3%, FIGURES 1 and 2.

Supported on the frame is a bracket 32 which asvIce sumes a tripod-like structure, having a pair of upwardly angled, transverse legs 3 and an upwardly angled longitudinal leg 35, all of such legs being secured together at their upper end. The legs 34 of the bracket 32 are angled forwardly a slight amount, and as will be seen hereinafter this bracket serves as a lever in combination with power means to pivot the frame.

Projecting integrally downwardly from the frame 2r) are a pair of support arms 38 disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal center of the frame. These arms are pivotally connected to respective lifting arms 49 by suitable pins 42. Lifting arms 40 at their ends opposite from the arms 38 are mounted on the take-off shafts 16 of the tractor and more particularly are secured to said shafts for rotation therewith. Thus, by the powered rotation of shafts 1d the frame 20 is adapted to be raised and lowered.

The relative pivotal position of the frame 24) on the lifting arm 43 is controlled by a fluid operated cylinder 4- the housing of which is pivotally connected to the lug 1d and the piston rod 46 of which is pivotally connected to the upper end of bracket 32. Fluid operated cylinder 44 is suitably operated by power and control means, not shown, on the tractor. Thus, it will be seen that the frame 2%) can be elevated to any desired position by operation of the lifting arms 44 and said frame can at the same time be pivoted relative to said lifting arms by the fluid operated cylinder 44.

The frame 2%? supports a material receiving receptacle 5:? which may assume various shapes, but in a preferred construction has a flat bottom wall 52, a forward wall 54, FIGURE 4, projecting upwardly at an obtuse angle from the bottom wall, a rear wall se, FIGURES 1 and 2, extending upwardly from the bottom wall at approximately 21 right angle thereto and of less height than the forward wall 54, and side walls 58. The top of the receptacle is open.

The bottom wall 52 and forward wall 54 have a cut-out or window portion es, FIGURE 4, to provide for clearance of the receptacle on the bracket 32. This cut-out portion is enclosed at the sides by wall portions 62 and at the upper end by an inclined wall 64. The cut-out portion 6% of the forward wall 54 extends substantially the full height of said wall, and the portion above the enclosed portion is covered with a screen 55. This screen confines material in the receptacle and at the same time allows visible inspection of the interior of the receptacle by the operator.

Receptacle 56 has a pivotal connection adjacent its front end with the side frame members 24, such pivotal connection being accomplished by pins 66 projecting through the side walls 58 of the receptacle and through the side frame members 24. Thus receptacle 54) is adapted for pivotal movement bet een a rest position on the frame 26 and an inclined upwardly angled position.

The pivotal movement of the receptacle is accomplished by a fluid-operated cylinder 7% having the outer end of its piston rod pivotally connected to lug means 74 prog'ecting integrally in a forwmd direction from the upper end of the receptacle. The lower end of the housing of the fluid operated cylinder is pivotally connected to an arm 76 projecting forwardly from frame 28, this latter arm merely comprising, if desired, an extension of one of the intermediate frame members 23.

Although the present material handling apparatus is adapted for diverse uses it is particularly useful in the harvesting of crops wherein the tractor is driven down the crop rows and harvesting personnel walk therebehind and deposit picked crops into the receptacle. In this harvesting operation, the receptacle is positioned as shown in broken lines in FIGURE 1 wherein the receptacle is Qt; seated in a rest position on the frame 29 and the entire assembly rotated downwardly to a lowered position which provides for easy insertion of the picked crop into the receptacle. The low height rear wall 56 of the receptacle facilitates easy insertion of the picked crop irtothe receptacle from a position rearwardly of the latter. In positioning the receptacle in a desired position it may be necessary to actuate fluid operated cylinder 44 in one direction or the other.

When it is desired to transport t e loaded receptacle to a position of unloading, the receptacle may be left in its lowered position, but preferably, and particularly when it is completely full, it may be rotated upwardly to the full line position shown in FIGURE 1. This again is accomplished by rotation of lifting arms 49, and in moving the receptacle to this latter position it may be necessary to actuate fluid operated cylinder 44 as necessary to position the receptacle in the best possible hauling position.

For the purpose of emptying the contents of receptacle 56 the frame is positioned as necessary by the lifting arms 4i) and fluid operated cylinder 44, the fluid operated cylinder 71 being actuated to tilt the receptacle. With reference to FIGURE 2 it is customary in many cases to empty the picked crops into tote boxes T which may then be handled by a lift truck for loading onto truck beds. The present invention is particularly applicable for unloading into such tote boxes since the receptable may be moved to an upper plane as shown in broken lines in FIGURE 2, and then tilted, as shown in full lines in FIGURE '2, to empty the contents into the tote box.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herein shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Material handling apparatus adapted for connection with a first hitch member including an anchor member and a secondhitch member including a powered arm rotatable vertically comprising: a frame, a receptacle on said frame, means pivotally connecting said receptacle to said frame adjacent one end of the receptacle, means adapted to pivotally connect said frame to the powered arm, lever means projecting upwardly from said frame, first power means connected to said lever means and arranged to pivot said frame on the powered arm, and second power means supported on said frame and connected between said receptacle and said frame to pivot said receptacle relative to said frame, said second power 4 means being operable independently of said first power means whereby to pivot the receptacle in any selected pivoted position of said frame.

7.. The material handling apparatus of claim 1 wherein said receptacle has an open top and has forward and rearward ends, the pivotal connection between said receptacle and said frame being at the rearward end of said receptacle whereby said receptacle is adapted to be tilted rearwardly for emptying contents thereof.

3. The material handling apparatus of claim 1 wherein said receptacle has bottom, side, and forward and rearward walls, the top thereof being open, said rearward wall being of less height than said forward wall, the pivotal connection between said receptacle and said frame being at the rearward end of said receptacle wher-by said receptacle is adapted to be tilted rearwardly for emptying contents thereof.

4. The material handling apparatus of claim 1 wherein the forward wall of said receptacle has a window portion for observing the interior of the receptacle from in front thereof.

5. Material handling apparatus in combination with a tractor having a first hitch member including an anchor member and a second hitch member including a powered arm rotatable vertically, comprising a frame, an upward! opening receptacle on said frame, means pivotally connecting said receptacle to said frame adjacent one end of the receptacle, means pivotally connecting said frame to said powered arm, lever means projecting upwardly from said frame, first power means connected between said lever means and said first hitch member and arranged to pivot said frame on said powered arm, and second power means supported on said frame and connected between said receptacle and said frame and arranged to pivot'said receptacle relative to said frame, said second power means being operable independently of said first power means whereby to pivot the receptacle in any selected pivoted position of said frame.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,254,292 9/41 Jones 214- 2,397,530 4/46 Brosius 214-131 2,678,741 5/54 Pilch. 2,712,389 7/55 Seivell et a1. 214--140 3,127,999 4/64 Gostomski 214l40 FOREIGN PATENTS 818,225 8/59 Great Britain.

HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner. 

1. MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS ADAPTED FOR CONNECTION WITH A FIRST HITCH MEMBER INCLUDING AN ANCHOR MEMBER AND A SECOND HITCH MEMBER INCLUDING A POWERED ARM ROTATABLE VERTICALLY COMPRISING: A FRAME, A RECEPTACLE ON SAID FRAME, MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING SAID RECEPTACLE TO SAID FRAME ADJACENT ONE END OF THE RECEPTACLE, MEANS ADAPTED TO PIVOTALLY CONNECT SAID FRAME TO THE POWERED ARM, LEVER MEANS PROJECTING UPWARDLY FROM SAID FRAME, FIRST POWER MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID LEVER MEANS AND ARRANGED TO PIVOT SAID FRAME ON THE POWERED ARM, AND SECOND POWER MEANS SUPPORTED ON SAID FRAME AND CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID RECEPTACLE AND SAID FRAME TO PIVOT SAID RECEPTACLE RELATIVE TO SAID FRAME, SAID SECOND POWER 